Blog

Zöld az erdő…; Zeleno vesh…

Yesterday in Hungarian class, we read and translated a Roma (gypsy) anthem in Hungarian. In it, the Roma are singing in a minor key saying, “Green is the forest; green is the mountain; our luck comes and our luck goes; the problems of life cut our flesh like a knife”. They say that “the whole world is our enemy; we live life pursued like thieves, though we have stolen nothing but a nail from Jesus’ bleeding palm.” It goes on to say, “O God, have mercy on us. Don’t let our people suffer. You curse and strike us and have made us ugly vagabonds.” Wow! I had heard about that gypsy national anthem, but had never actually read it. It is a powerful testimony to the hopelessness of the Roma without Christ. I am excited that we are helping to translate the Bible for them to give them this message of hope. Just this morning, I was reading more of the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) which is a passage that has been translated into Bayash Roma and which we will be testing with a couple Bayash speakers in a couple weeks. How appropriate as an answer to this gypsy anthem: “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'” (Luke 15:32 ESV)”. Thanks for your prayers and financial support which make it possible for us to be here.